Fabulously free-range

There’s something about free-range eggs. It’s not just their great taste and good looks – although we know this is true – it’s more than that. I think it’s to do with the idea of, or the story behind the eggs, not just the eggs themselves.

We live in a capitalist, consumer-based society, and we’re constantly encouraged to buy, consume, be gratified, keep up with everyone else, and to do it all NOW. 

• Why make something, when you can pick it up at the store? 
• Why repair something, when you can just buy a new one? 
• Why wait and save for something, when you can get it on credit now? 

These days we don’t even walk places – we drive everywhere, and God forbid we’d grow our own food, I mean, that’s what one-stop supermarkets are for! In this era of digital everything, we barely even call our family and friends, we just message them, or post on Facebook and hope they see how fantastic and glamorous our lives really are ...

I was about to write, when did we decide this way of living was okay?, but I hesitate to use the word living, is it really living, or is it just existing?

So, how is this related to free-range eggs?

I think free-range eggs represent a simpler, and more real life. A life from years gone by, but also a life many of us imagine we’d like to be part of again. When people buy free-range eggs they feel good inside, not only do they know their food is cruelty-free, and that their bacon and eggs is going to taste amazing, but they feel a connection to the farmer too, someone who is a real life person.

We’ve had chickens since our daughter Ruby was little, and have never had the problem of too many eggs. At our old house we had between 2 and 4 backyard chickens at any one time, and even had a guinea fowl too (but that’s another story). When we moved to #9degreescelsius we decided to expand our flock, and asked family and friends if they’d like to put in regular orders – the interest was so great we actually had to expand our flock again ... twice!

We now have 16 hens, 2 pullets, and 1 very pretty, but very useless rooster called Gary (aka Gaz, Gazza, Gorgeous Gary, and Pretty Boy. He’s a Golden-Laced Wyandotte, and he knows it!).

So, where to from here?

We are so pleased to be part of the “free-range egg trade”, and can’t imagine a time without our feathered friends, but why stop here? Why not try to offer that feeling of connection, and experience of buying direct from the farmer or maker, with other farm-based produce and homemade products? What those might be is still anyone’s guess, but be assured, we’ve got our “thinking caps” on ...

Thanks for reading, and see you again soon,

Bonnie
#9degreescelsius